For book lovers abroad

I had a friend visit this past weekend.  Her visit was amazing for many reasons.

1. In my line of work where the people around me are constantly changing, it’s a real blessing to catch up with someone who has known me the entire five years I’ve spent overseas.
2. It was great to talk about the lessons each of us have been learning.
3. I had an excuse to cook many of my favorite things including: lemon pasta, the best Italian herb bread (recipe to come soon), my favorite spring salad (recipe to come soon), strawberry meringue pie, and baked apple crepes.  It was nice to take a break from the quick-prep meals that have been filling my diet of late.
4. She introduced me to me new favorite website: The Book Depository.  They ship books for FREE.  Anywhere in the world…including China.  My luggage just got a whole lot lighter…or more correctly, I just made room to carry back a whole lot more parmesan cheese.  This website is dangerous, very dangerous, for me.  It took about five minutes of having the address before I made my first order: Peter Hessler’s Country Driving.  Free shipping, people.  To China.  I know I’m repeating myself; I just can’t believe it!
5. Her visit gave me a reasonable excuse to ignore the 100+ pages of senior research thesis papers that I need to edit.  Speaking of, I need to go put the next 15 minutes before students come over to use.